Comedian Eddie Griffin Recalls Stealing Diddy's Jacket, Street Fighting With Tupac

Eddie Griffin has stories for days about running with both Tupac and Biggie when they were still alive -- and he recently told a couple ... including one which ended with him having to strongarm some of Diddy's merchandise!!!

The tenured comedian was signing autographs following a recent stand-up set in Atlanta when he was asked to travel down memory lane about hanging with the late great rap legends.

Eddie recalls rolling with Pac in the ATL area -- circa the time when the wild block party Freaknik was still a thing -- but it wasn't all fun and games ... Pac was hanging out the window double-fisted with both middle fingers out!!!

A couple of guys didn't take kindly to Pac's Thug Life gestures and a street fight broke out when they pulled over, with Eddie admitting they were outsized in the royal rumble.

Eddie claims they won the fight but told Pac they couldn't hang anymore -- he's a laugher, not a fighter!!!

The convo switched to the time Eddie guest-starred in Diddy and Ma$e's "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" -- the last music video The Notorious B.I.G. appeared in before being murdered in 1997.

Eddie's known Diddy for so long and joked he coined the "Diddler" nickname ... but on the set, the Bad Boy boss was being funny with delivering Eddie's money on time.

As payback, Eddie says he made off with Diddy's jacket -- perks of the job!!!